A Return, Sort Of
by crhblack
Summary: Following the events of The Return, the Green Lantern, John Stewart eats Chinese with an old friend. ONE SHOT. Please Review!


Dr. Fate and the incredible android A.M.A.Z.O. faded from view. A shaken, but highly relieved, Lex Luthor wiped his brow. The diminutive powerhouse known as the Atom and an elite force of the Green Lantern Corps stood by trying to digest the events of the past few minutes.

"We beat him!" beamed the mighty mite.

"What do you mean 'we'?" smirked a triumphant Luthor as he left to survey the damage wrought by the vengeful android. The Atom followed closely behind unsure whether to seek Luthor's arrest or to let him go.

Meanwhile the emerald knights of the Green Lantern Corp stared at each other. A.M.A.Z.O. claimed to have restored Oa to their dimension, but they were almost too afraid to verify whether that was the case. Finally, Katma Tui put into action what the others thought. Using her ring, the beauty from Krugar formed a viewscreen, "Katma Tui to Oa! Katma Tui to Oa! Come in Oa!"

After a few tense seconds, the visage of a small blue face with white hair on the edges came into focus. "Oa to Katma Tui. We are fully functional. However, we request your assistance in assuring that no damage has been done."

"We are headed home. Katma Tui out." Katma's slate grey eyes narrowed as she dissolved the viewscreen. "Okay, everyone you heard the man. Move 'em out!"

The empty lab filled with the eldritch glow of the green talismans. The galactic guardians wafted upwards and out of the lab. However, two of the group remained behind.

"Aren't you supposed to be going with them," a weary bass voice intoned.

"Nice to see you, too!" Kat snapped at her fellow Lantern. "We haven't spoken since Kalinor. I thought you might at least say hello."

The chocolate face of John Stewart furrowed into a deep frown. The corners of his mustache emphasized his lack of patience for empty platitudes. "What do you want, Katma? I'm heading back to the Watchtower to see if I can help with the clean-up."

"Would it hurt you to spend just five seconds with an old friend? We haven't seen each other in who knows how many Rigellian cycles!" Katma glided over to the Lantern of sector 2814 and threaded her arm inside a muscular bicep. "Besides, I didn't get to thank you for your help with Despero."

Stewart's glower waned slightly. "It was nothing, Katma. Despero had to be stopped. No need for thanks. Just doing my duty."

"Still, I think you deserve some type of reward." The Krugan Lantern leaned up to meet her lips to his. To her surprise Stewart pulled away from her grasp.

Perplexed, her eyebrows knitted together. "Well, that's a first! You've never refused that type of reward, especially when you know it leads to..." She broke off her sentence to study the countenance of her former pupil. "I heard about you wanting to transfer to Oa. Why?"

John Stewart looked down at the floor. He remembered how Katma's charms affected him in the past. His eyes returned back to her form. Katma was as lovely as ever. There could never be any doubt that the firebrand from Krugar was indescribably beautiful. "Nice uniform. Is it something you picked up from Kalinor?" Stewart smirked.

"No, and don't try to avoid the question. Why are you wanting to go to Oa and leave Earth. I thought you loved being back on your home world."

"It's none of your business, Kat." Stewart turned to the lab entrance and surrounded himself with a glowing aura. "It's been nice, Kat, but like you say, duty calls."

As he started to ascend up the chute, Stewart felt a tug at his heels. Looking down, he saw that she had fired her ring and held him in place. "No, John Stewart. We are going to talk. How about that restaurant not far from your apartment?"

Katma's expression indicated that she wasn't going to budge from her position. He recalled just how forceful this slim woman could be. Sighing, Stewart dissipated his own aura and allowed Katma to lift them both from Luthor's underground lair.

The flight to Detroit passed silently as each person masticated on what to say. Never shy to pose her opinion, Katma was apprehensive. Something dramatic took place in his life. It was as obvious as the new goatee and clean shaved dome. Reflecting back, Katma had spotted a change in John after Despero's defeat. What could have happened to him?

Stewart's heart nearly stopped beating when Katma landed at an all too familiar spot. "It's been a while since I've had any of Earth's delicacies. Do you still hate Chinese food? I always wanted to come here."

"I've, umm, acquired a taste for Chinese."

"Excellent, let's go in and you can tell me why you want to transfer."

"Welcome again, Mr. Stewart," A small Asian lady welcomed them. "Ah, I see you've brought another beautiful girl with you. This one, though, looks more like your type. We have good special today: Cantonese chicken with snow peas, fried rice, and egg drop soup." The hostess shifted her attention to Katma, "Perhaps you are like his other friend. Fried eel makes a wonderful appetizer."

Stewart winced and swallowed hard at the mention of the eel. "Poor Mr. Stewart. It seems that he still has no stomach for the eel." She shook her head and went to get their hot tea.

Katma's lips purse into a wry smile. "Acquired a taste for Chinese? I would say so! Okay, spill it, Stewart, who is she?"

"There is no she, Kat," Stewart hid his face behind a menu.

"Okay, if you want to play it that way," she teased him as her foot moved under the table to tickle his calf. "Since you won't tell me who the competition is, I'll just have to make you forget about her totally, which shouldn't be too hard."

Stewart glanced over his menu and grunted something inaudible. "Same old Katma."

Over their meal, the two discussed how to better defend Oa from threats like A.M.A.Z.O. "I'll tell the Guardians all about Dr. Fate." Katma finished her tea and leaned her arms on the table. Looking into the eyes of the man across the table, she returned to her original line of interrogation, "Now, no more avoiding the issue, John Stewart. Why are you wanting to transfer from Earth?"

"Like I said, Katma, it's none of your business."

Katma slammed her fist on the table. "What is the matter with you? You've changed! Perhaps Despero got to you after all. We were always open and honest with each other. Even while yelling and screaming at each other, we really communicated. Now, you want to curl up into a Krugan tribble ball."

Katma took his hands in hers. "John, we've known each other for a long time. We've shared some tender and intimate moments together. I know when you are suffering some internal conflict."

Despite himself, John Stewart gripped Katma's hands tighter. "I'm sorry, Kat. I shouldn't take this out on you. You are right. A lot has changed since Kalinor."

"The League has grown so large. How come?"

"We decided that the seven, I mean six of us, couldn't protect the Earth by ourselves. So we opened up to all Earth's heroes and a few extra-terrestrial ones."

"That makes sense. You can cover more threats...Wait! You said 'the six of us'. Is someone missing?"

The fire in John Stewart's irradiated optics dimmed, flared, then dimmed again as the mention of the missing seventh original League member rushed home searing memories. For a moment, it wasn't Katma Tui across from him, but a winged angel who brought him bliss and torment.

Stewart violently yanked his hands from Katma's. "Thanks for the meal, Kat. I'll pay on my way out."

Stunned, the lithe woman followed after him. The downtown street bustled with activity. Katma strained to find her companion. Finally, she saw him duck into an alleyway. Using her ring, she blocked all entrances to the narrow corridor. "Okay, mister, enough of this! I would wager your reason for wanting to transfer has everything to do with the missing League member."

"Drop it, Kat," Stewart's bass rumbled like an approaching storm. "Just drop it."

"No! The John Stewart I trained would NEVER simply up and ask for a switch in assignments without a significant reason." Katma's mind began to list off those League members she could account for. "The only two I can't verify seeing are Batman and the winged girl. Somehow I don't think you would react this strangely over Batman. It's the winged one isn't it? She's the one missing."

Stewart glared at her. His jaw tightened to the point where the veins in his neck bulged. His blazing green irises burned with such intensity that they illuminated darkened alley.

Katma's mouth dropped open as she began to add the pieces together. "I think I'm now understanding everything. On Kalinor, bird girl was interested in you beyond being teammates. Even under that ugly helmet, her eyes spoke volumes."

Katma watched as her comrade rocked slowly back and forth in place, his fury reaching a level she had never witnessed in him. "Hold on. There's more isn't there. The invasion! My god, John, she was part of it! Wasn't she?"

She slapped her hand across her mouth trying to keep the emotional upheaval in her gut from vomiting out. "You love her don't you? Don't you? That's why you want to leave Earth. This place reminds you of her!"

The burning in John Stewart's eyes died down. His broad shoulders slumped as if Atlas had handed him the sky to hold up. The Green Lantern of sector 2814 crumbled to his knees. Burying his hands in his face, Stewart muttered a single word over and over: "Shayera."

Katma wheeled around on her heels turning her back to him. "All this time I thought... I thought you were just being devoted to your duties and the League. I guess I was sorely mistaken."

Still rooted to his spot, a raspy whisper emanated from him. "She said she loved me then flew away. I've not heard from her since."

Katma spun back around and moved face to face with her Corps colleague. "Loves you? She sure has a helluva way of showing it!"

"Yes, she loves me."

Katma waved her arms in exasperation, "Yeah, I'm sure of that. She LOVES you so much that she left you here looking like some lost puppy dog. Come on, Stewart! Wake up, man! Can't you see she's not coming back?"

"Yes, she is. She'll be back," Stewart mumbled more for himself than Katma.

"What did she do to you?" Katma grabbed his head in both her hands. "Tell me!" The Krugan leaned down and presses her lips to his in a deep kiss, nibbling and licking at his mouth. "Did she kiss you like that?"

He stared blankly back at her. "Please, Kat, leave me be."

"What's wrong, Stewart? Did she use some type of Thanagarian magic on you? Slip some type of drug in your food?" Kat spat in disgust.

The dark skinned Lantern merely dropped his head. "That's not true."

"Then, tell me! Why this reaction from you? I-I never could get this type of response from you! Even when I left, you didn't act like this." Katma lifted his head.

"Katma, you, you just don't understand."

"Understand? Understand what? That you're pining over some woman that played you and broke your heart." Her voice lowered to a cold monotone. "I know what it is. She's the best you've ever had."

"Stop, Kat."

"Admit it, Stewart! She did things to you in bed you never imagined!" Katma rubbed his clean pate. "She probably caused the hair on your head to stand up or even grow new hair."

"Shut up, Kat!"

"Come on, John," Kat cooed in his ear. "I bet she made you say her name. Didn't she? How does it go? Shayera...Shayera...Shayera."

Suddenly, a strong hand locked around her throat. John Stewart shot up to his full height causing his first girlfriend to gasp and choke. His features twisted into a menacing mask of primal hate.

"I said, SHUT UP!" His nostrils flared while his chest rose and fell in great heaves. "How dare you reduce her to such a level. I NEVER touched her. I never touched her."

The Lantern's chocolate skin glowed in a terrifying aura. His hand increased its vise-like hold on Katma's throat. The petite alien wondered for a moment whether or not her once pupil, partner, and boyfriend would be so consumed by his inner struggle that her life would be forfeit. However, as suddenly as the beserker rage came upon him, he released his grip.

"OH MY! Katma, Kat, I-I don't know what came over me. I-I almost... Are you okay?"

Sputtering and gasping for breath, Katma Tui slowly backed away. Her body convulsed as she tried to shake away the stars from her vision. "I-I've never seen you like this before," she managed to croak. "For a second I thought you weren't going to let go."

"Kat, I'm so sorry." He started to reach for her but her flinch made him stop. With eyes widened in horror, Stewart wrapped himself in an emerald ball and soon became a speck against the dusky sky.

For a long while, Katma Tui of Krugar leaned weakly against a cold brick wall for support. Her breath had returned. The silence of the alley hemmed her in like a shroud. Her ring flashed to open a communication channel "Katma Tui to Killowag. Katma Tui to Killowag."

The pink face of the jovial Green Lantern appeared. "Killowag here. Kat, why aren't you back yet?" A small sly grin slipped on his lips. "You stayed to talk with John?"

Katma lipped a hollow response, "Yes."

"Well?"

"I'll be there shortly."

"Kat? Are you all right? Are you crying?"

"I said I'll be there shortly! Katma Tui out!" The view screen dissolved. Katma Tui wrapped herself in a gleaming ball of energy and zoomed for the dark recesses of space.

Unnoticed, a shadow descended into the alley. It stopped over a shining gold locket. Lying open, the keepsake revealed a picture of smiling ebony man and a lighter skinned woman. The shadow moved on leaving the locket resting by a feather.


End file.
